IPL 2020: Chris Morris a 'three-in-one cricketer' but struggling to be fit for Royal Challengers Bangalore

Big-money South African missed win over Sunrisers Hyderabad with a side strain and struggling to be fit for game against Kings XI Punjab

RCB spent $1.3 million to land Chris Morris at auction but he has yet to featgure in this year's IPL. AFP

Chris Morris remains an injury doubt for Royal Challengers Banaglore ahead of Thursday’s meeting with Kings XI Punjab in the IPL in Dubai.

The South African fast bowler was a big-money buy for Bangalore ahead of this season.

RCB spent $1.3 million (Dh4.7m) to land him at auction, as they attempt to cure the bowling issues that have contributed to them finishing last in two of the past three seasons.

A side strain kept him out of the opening game, though, leading them to reshuffle their pack ahead of their opening game, against Sunrisers Hyderabad.

“He would have played a huge role through the middle and at the death,” Mike Hesson, Bangalore’s director of cricket operations, said.

“His batting would have had a huge impact as well, so it does change the balance of our side.

“He is a three-in-one cricketer, and he is not easy to just replace.

"We had to change the structure of our side, especially seeing the game the night before, in terms of the seam movement that was on offer.

“There are a lot of things to consider, and hopefully Chris will come back into consideration in a game or two.”

Despite Morris’s absence, Bangalore took a win from their opener at the Dubai International Stadium, following a woeful collapse by Hyderabad.

Hesson said it was a fine start to the campaign, but pointed out his side still have plenty to work on.

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Sunrisers Hyderabad v Royal Challengers Bangalore ratings

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  SUNRISERS HYDERABAD RATINGS: David Warner – 6. Robbed. Looked to be in fine touch, only to be run out at the non-striker’s end when Bairstow blazed a drive onto the stumps off Umesh Yadav’s fingers. Sportzpics for BCCI

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  Jonny Bairstow – 8. Rode his luck – he was dropped twice – as he made a half century, but should have seen the job through once he had done the hard work. Sportzpics for BCCI

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  Manish Pandey – 7. A brilliant throw to run out De Villiers, and then shared in an important alliance with Bairstow – although his dismissal was limp. Sportzpics for BCCI

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  Priyam Garg – 4. Perhaps unlucky the ball ended up on his stumps off his grille, but the ramp was a high-risk play in the situation. Sportzpics for BCCI

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  Vijay Shankar (left) – 3. Had a nightmare filling in for Marsh with the ball, bowling successive no balls when he only had two balls to bowl. Then was undone first ball by Chahal. Sportzpics for BCCI

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  Abhishek Sharma – 6. Canny bowling to dismiss Finch. Looked in decent enough touch with the bat, until he crashed into Rashid Khan and he was run out. Sportzpics for BCCI

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  Rashid Khan – 5. RCB’s batsmen looked comfortable against him. He misjudged a catch off Padikkal, but did hold the important one of Kohli. Suffered a nasty blow when colliding with Abhishek Sharma. Sportzpics for BCCI

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  Mitchell Marsh – NA. Managed to send down just four deliveries before limping off with what appeared to be an ankle injury. Sportzpics for BCCI

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  Bhuvneshwar Kumar – 7. No wickets, but his economy rate was just 6.25, which was impressive given that he bowled the difficult overs. Sportzpics for BCCI

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  Sandeep Sharma – 6. Taken for sixes in successive deliveries by De Villiers in his last over, but outfoxed him twice, too. Sportzpics for BCCI

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  Thangarasu Natarajan – 6. The left-armer looked nervous when he started, but he had a wicket to cherish: that of King Kohli. Sportzpics for BCCI

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  ROYAL CHALLENGERS BANGALORE RATINGS: Devdutt Padikkal – 8. What an impact on debut. This felt like one of those “remember the name” innings, as he outshone his illustrious colleagues. Sportzpics for BCCI

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  Aaron Finch – 6. Happy to play second fiddle to his opening partner. Less so to have followed him back to the dressing room off the very next ball after Padikkal was out. Dropped Bairstow on 40. Sportzpics for BCCI

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  Virat Kohli – 6. Fell just as it felt as he was getting going. Made just 13, but his stand with De Villiers was just what was required at the time. Important catches late on. Sportzpics for BCCI

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  AB de Villiers – 8. Nauseatingly talented. Had not played since January, yet barely missed a beat as he made a 29-ball half-century. Sportzpics for BCCI

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  Shivam Dube – 7. A lethargic innings, capped off by a dozy run out off the final ball, but his three overs, two for 15 were a real bonus for RCB. Sportzpics for BCCI

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  Josh Philippe – 5. Only had two balls at the end of RCB’s innings on his introduction to the big league. His glovework was very scruffy. Sportzpics for BCCI

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  Washington Sundar – 5. Only entrusted with one over. He dragged that one back well, having been hit for a huge six, leaking just one more run. Sportzpics for BCCI

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  Dale Steyn – 6. Missed a skier off Bairstow that would have been crucial, and was rusty with the ball, too. He did take the wicket which sealed the win, though. Sportzpics for BCCI

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  Umesh Yadav – 4. Leaked 48 runs off his four overs and failed to apply the pressure that was needed with the new ball. Sportzpics for BCCI

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  Navdeep Saini – 8. Worked up excellent pace and was a threat throughout. His two wickets all but sealed the win for RCB. AFP

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  Yuzvendra Chahal – 9. Outstanding. The India leg-spinner took three for 18 – including the prize wicket of Bairstow – and the only boundary he was hit for was off the last ball he bowled. Sportzpics for BCCI

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“We are always looking to improve,” Hesson told the franchise’s YouTube channel.

“When you win it is easier to look and be subjective without be emotional.

“We know it was a good performance with the bat, but that it wasn’t perfect either in some other areas.

“We will look at that as a side, whether we have the balance right for that particular wicket.

“[Head coach Simon Katich], Virat [Kohli] and myself will look at the way we want to structure things, recognise the things we did really well, and try to tweak a few things as well.”

Mitchell Marsh has been ruled out of the remainder of the IPL after suffering an ankle injury on just the third ball he sent down in the tournament.

The Australian all-rounder has been replaced by Jason Holder, the West Indies captain.